The assay of crystalline male sexual hormone (androsterone)

RuZICKA et al. [1934] have prepared from epidihydrocholesterol, an oxyketone having the formula C19H.002, which in composition, melting point, optical activity and effect in stimulating comb-growth in capons appears to be identical with the crystalline hormone isolated from human urine by Butenandt and his co-workers [1932; 1934]. Tschopp [Ruzicka et al., 1934, p. 1401], using only a small number of castrated rats, has also found that the prostate, seminal vesicles and penis became enlarged after the injection of Ruzicka's androsterone.